LITTLE ROCK — Arrows were flying at six sites during the Arkansas National Archery in the Schools Program regional tournaments on Feb. 9. More than 2,700 elementary to high school students competed for the right to go on to state tournament competition.

The tournaments took place at Clarksville High School, Bergman High School in Harrison, Eagle Mountain Magnet in Batesville, Joe T. Robinson High School in Little Rock, Monticello Schools and Glen Rose Schools in Malvern. The results of the regional tournaments can be found at: http://www.agfc.com/education/Documents/ANASP/2013RegionalFinalScores.pdf.

Winners from each regional tournament will now go on to compete in the state tournament

March 15-16 at the Hot Springs Convention Center.

The Arkansas National Archery in the Schools Program, part of the National Archery in the Schools Program, targets students as young as fourth grade and as old as high school seniors. They learn archery skills, as well as an outdoor hobby they may enjoy for the rest of their lives. For more information on the program go to: http://www.agfc.com/education/Pages/EducationProgramsANASP.aspx#3.

“Numbers of both trumpeter and tundra swans wintering in Arkansas appear to be on the increase,” Karen Rowe, nongame migratory bird program leader with the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, said. “Some of these swans are wearing neck collars that can tell us the state of origin of the swan. We need the public’s assistance in not only reporting the location of the swans; more importantly, we need their assistance in noting the collar color and reading the alpha numeric code on the collars.”

Some of the swans wearing collars are those released as a part of the Mississippi Flyway Council’s reverse migration experiment. This experiment attempts to re-establish historic swan migrations south into Arkansas and other Southern states from the swans breeding areas in Northern states.

Trumpeter swans are the largest birds native to North America. Adult males measure 57-64 inches long and weigh about 25 pounds. Adult females range from 55-60 inches and weigh about 20 pounds. Their wingspans can approach 8 feet, and they fly with their extremely long necks outstretched.

About 5,000 trumpeter swans live in the Midwest, most of them in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa and Michigan. They generally migrate in family groups and prefer to feed on aquatic vegetation. Little is known regarding the numbers and groupings of southward migrant swans, so the location and characteristics of the sites they frequent and the duration of use is important to both the Trumpeter Swan Society and AGFC.

“By providing information and collar data on swans in Arkansas, observers can help document the changing distribution of wintering trumpeter swans and help identify potential new and important swan wintering sites in our state,” Rowe said. “Binoculars or a spotting scope are often needed to read the neck collar identification code. Reports that contain the collar letter and number are extremely valuable because they enable us to track a particular swan, not just across Arkansas, but throughout its journey up and down the Mississippi Flyway. We really appreciate the observers’ efforts to obtain these important but difficult to read neck collar IDs.”

Observers should note the exact location of trumpeter swans using a GPS when possible and if the birds are wearing collars, write down the number and letter code on the collar and send that information to Rowe at krowe@agfc.state.ar.us, or complete the survey at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=ONVLAfxzHa38N5bhYe_2bimQ_3d_3d. Because it can be difficult to tell the difference between tundra and trumpeter swans in the field, the public is encouraged to visit http://www.trumpeterswansociety.org/id.htm to learn the key differences in bill shape and other physical characteristics of these two species.

Rabbits offer plenty of February hunting opportunity

LITTLE ROCK — Some Arkansans, probably a small number, consider February as rabbit hunting time. Deer hunting is over except for a few bowhunters. Duck season has closed. Dove seeking is long past. Turkey hunting is two months ahead.

However, rabbit and squirrel seasons are open, and chances are you will run across few other hunters out there. Another advantage is squirrels and rabbits are nearly everywhere in Arkansas. Rabbit hunting is simple, requiring only a shotgun or .22 rifle, some ammunition, a hunting license and a place to find the game. If you or a friend have dogs suitable for sniffing out rabbits, that is another plus.

In Arkansas, there are two varieties of rabbits and nearly all are cottontails. Swamp rabbits, much larger than cottontails, are found in some low areas, especially in the eastern section of the state.

Good opportunities for rabbits are in most of the wildlife management areas of the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, and these are open at no charge. The only other requirement is a free Sweet Sixteen permit for some of the wildlife management areas.

Skip the deep woods and the open fields for finding rabbits — unless those fields have some brushy spots in them. Rabbits are usually on the edges and particularly along brushy or grassy ditch banks.

Plan on doing a lot of walking in hunting rabbits, although on private land an all-terrain vehicle may help get around. This can be an option for persons who have difficulty with extensive walking.

Rabbits are quick but not fast in comparison to a deer. They tend to hide in cover and run only as a last resort. When one bursts from cover, the hunter’s priority is getting a gun up into shooting position while using peripheral vision to make sure another person or a dog is not in the line of fire.

Hunter orange clothing and caps are not required for rabbit work, but many Arkansans choose to wear them for safety when tall brush or grass may obscure a fellow hunter.

More shotguns than .22 rifles are in action in February rabbit hunting. A shotgun with an improved cylinder or a modified choke is best. Singe shot, double barrel, pump or semiautomatic — just pick what you have available. Field load shells like you have left over from dove season will work, but a better choice may be high brass No. 7 shells for a little more punch and range.

You can take eight rabbits a day in any part of Arkansas. Get a limit, and you will have the makings of several tasty meals.

An old guideline for cooking rabbit is to prepare it any way you would a chicken. For an older rabbit that may be on the tough side, many cooks parboil them first. This is boiling in salted water for 20-30 minutes, then let cool and continue with the recipe.

How’s your habitat?

JONESBORO — There are many native warm season grasses in Arkansas. The most commonly promoted native grasses for wildlife are big and little bluestem, indiangrass, sideoats grama, switchgrass and eastern gamagrass. One of the primary benefits of these species is the plant structure since these grasses grow in bunches and open space at ground level allowing wild turkey poults, quail chicks, rabbits and other small animals to travel and feed easily throughout the field. If not mowed, disked or burned before fall, these grasses can provide excellent cover during winter. Suitable cover is often a more limiting factor than food for species such as turkey, rabbits, quail, and grassland songbirds and offers bedding habitat for deer.

Native warm season grasses can be utilized as forage for livestock under a prescribed grazing plan and provide wildlife benefits. They are highly tolerant to drought and can provide forage insurance for livestock producers.

Once you’ve decided to establish these grasses, the first step is to contact an Arkansas Game and Fish Commission Private Lands Biologist for additional information and a possible site visit. The biologist can provide written information on how to establish these special grasses.

Several key factors play important roles in stand establishment to be successful. The first factor is that these grasses do not compete well with non-native grasses (tall fescue, Bermuda grass, Johnson grass, etc.). Competition control using herbicides is a must for a successful stand of native warm season grasses. The second factor, and one of the most important, is that these grasses cannot be planted more than an inch deep. Special planters are required to plant these natives. The AGFC has planters to loan for this purpose. Thirdly is planting too late. The optimal planting dates for native warm season grasses are from Dec. 1 through mid-April.

Management after establishment is critical for wildlife benefits. It is important to manage your established stand utilizing management practices in order to set back succession and maintain an open structure. Management practices will normally begin in the third year of a well-established stand, unless competition control is necessary. Utilizing prescribed fire on the field is recommended. Disking in blocks is an option, but it can encourage undesirables such as Johnson grass, fescue or Bermuda grass. Management practices should not be conducted during the primary nesting season of April 1 to July 15 — later is better. If you want to enhance your property to attract and hold more wildlife then consider adding native warm season grasses to your management plan.

LITTLE ROCK — Leftover turkey hunt permits will only be available for online purchase this year. The permits will be available beginning at 8 a.m. on March 4.

Several AGFC WMAs throughout the state will have a limited number of permits left over for turkey hunting. These permits are $10 each and must be paid for with Visa, MasterCard or Discover credit cards.

They are the leftovers from the Commission's permit process this year and will be sold online on a first-come, first-served basis.

Each buyer must furnish their name, date of birth and current driver’s license number or Social Security number for each hunter. If a hunter is under 16, their hunter education number is required. Permits are not transferable or refundable.

Permits may be purchased online only at www.agfc.com beginning Monday, March 4 at 8 a.m. Phone 501-223-6440 or 501-223-6359 for more information on AGFC turkey permit hunts.